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Edge Trailing vs. Edge Leading Strokes While Sharpening.

Dear KKF,

Is there a particular advantage to mastering sharpening technique involving back-and-forth strokes (such as shown by John Broida in his awesome videos) vs. using a stropping motion to finesse the blade after grinding in the bevel using back-and-forth strokes (ala Murray Carter)?

I currently use Murray's techniques with good results but am wondering if there's something to be gained by adopting John's technique. Because I don't get to practice more frequently than once a week, I find it hard to maintain consist back-and-forth strokes--especially on the 6k stone. The stropping motion comes very naturally and consistently to me.

Thanks to everyone who shares their knowledge on this wonderful forum!

In a class I took the instructor tried to get me to change from one-hand sharpening (flipping the blade over, like 98% of people do) to ambidextrous sharpening. It didn't work---my right hand is just too dominant. I'd say if you have a technique that works for you and don't have a lot of time to practice, stay with that technique. If you look like Murray Carter when you're sharpening, there's no harm in that. :--]

In a class I took the instructor tried to get me to change from one-hand sharpening (flipping the blade over, like 98% of people do) to ambidextrous sharpening. It didn't work---my right hand is just too dominant. I'd say if you have a technique that works for you and don't have a lot of time to practice, stay with that technique. If you look like Murray Carter when you're sharpening, there's no harm in that. :--]

What struck me was that the group consensus showed that edge trailing strokes were best (at least for double bevel knives).

Therefore, does this mean that we may isolate just the edge-trailing motion during sharpening by utilizing stropping strokes?

Or is there some benefit to the "recovery" stroke in back-and-forth sharpening where the edge is cutting into the stone (edge leading)?

Based on all the links in this thread it seems that pressure on the edge trailing stroke followed by a light recovery stroke (that's edge leading) would lead to the cleanest, sharpest edge. Is this correct?